Counsel On Clothing

Rex Ninive purpura indutus propriae civitatis excidium meruit; coopertus sacco divini furoris motum contriti cordis humilitate placavit. Ezechias quoque cultu regio decoratus, terribiles regis Assyriorum minas tremefactus audivit; sed mox ut ipse cilicio tegitur, cilicioque contectos ad prophetam mittere nuntios non erubuit, propinquae divinae victoriae, et optatae prosperitatis oraculum reportavit. Quae nimirum promissio, Scriptura teste, celerem pervenit ad exitum. Nam ecce angelus Domini centum octoginta quinque millia Assyriorum una nocte percussit, deinde ipsum Sennacherib regem uterque filius parricidali quidem, sed digno gladio trucidavit. Vides igitur apud Deum quantum vestis fluxa distet ab aspera. Perpendis, quia quem iratum experiri delicta meruerat, vilis et abjecta vestis judicem placat; et quem plectibilem illa reddiderat, venia dignum ista commendat. Cujus autem momenti apud Deum vestium sit ornatus, egregius ille prophetarum Isaias evidenter ostendit, qui nimirum ad divinae jussionis imperium vestimenta deposuit, et per trium annorum spatium nudus, et discalceatus incessit. Erubescat igitur humana superbia, confundatur mens misera vanae gloriae peste corrupta, dum ille videlicet organum Dei, templum Spiritus sancti, divinae justitiae propalator, non dubitavit publice nudus in cenere. Et infelix homo, qui ne ullum quidem meruit divinae familiaritatis indicium, superstitiosum laciniosae vestis affectat ornatum; et dum male coloratae vestis fucos induitur, lubricus aspici a semetipso, superni Speculatoris oculos non veretur averti. Ita sane dum indumentum illud arrogantiae sub divina aestimatione despicitur, is etiam qui induitur, consequenter abominabilis judicatur. Sanctus Peter Damianus, De Contemptu Saeculi, Caput XVI Source: Migne PL 145.268c-269a

The King of Nineveh bedecked in purple imperiled his own city to ruin; covered in sackcloth, by the motion of a contrite and humble heart, he placated the Divine anger. 1 Hezekiah also, when adorned in the regal raiment heard the fearsome threats of the terrible Assyrian king, but soon, placing on himself a hairshirt, and sending to the Prophet messengers also covered with hairshirts, he was not disgraced, but the oracle announced that the Divine victory was near and the prosperity that was longed for. Indeed Scripture gives witness how quickly from the promise comes the ruin. For behold, an angel of the Lord in one night struck down one hundred and eighty five thousand Assyrians, and then Sennacherib himself by his sons was slain by the worthy sword. 2 See, therefore, how greatly garments may distance oneself from the bitter flood. Consider that he who has merited anger on account of evil done may propitiate judgement with vile and abject clothing, and him on whom punishment should have been brought, commends himself as one worthy of forgiveness. And of what importance to God may be the covering of vestments, Isaiah above all the prophets most openly shows, who by Divine command put off his vestments and for three years was naked and walked about shoeless. 3 Therefore let human pride blush, let the wretched mind infected with vainglory be confounded when he who was an organ of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a dispenser of Divine righteousness, did not hesitate to go about naked in public. Wretched is the man who has not deserved to give any token of familiarity with the Divine, but has the hems of his garments set with superstitious decorations, and while wickedly bedecked with coloured vestments, fears not to be seen as a deceiver, as if the eyes of heaven were averted from him. But indeed while he is wrapped in his vestments of arrogance the Divine judgement does look down on him, and certainly he who is clothed so will consequently be judged as one abominable. Saint Peter Damian, from On Contempt For The World, Chapter 16 1 Jonah 3 2 4 kings 18.28-19.37 3 Isaiah 20.1-3